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Leo Falkenstein

July 30, 1874
—Hochneukirch, Germany

One of three children, Leo grew up in the small town of Hochneukirch, 20 miles northwest of Cologne. As an adult, Leo entered his father's cigar manufacturing business, "Isak Falkenstein and Sons." Leo and his wife, Bertha, lived in a house next to Leo's parents. Leo and Bertha had six children whom they raised in the Jewish faith.

1933-39: Our daughter Johanna has brought her two girls to live with us for a while here in Hochneukirch. Johanna's husband, Carl, has been having trouble finding employment, partly because of the increased discrimination against Jews since the Nazis came to power a few years ago. The girls enjoy playing in our large backyard and helping their grandmother gather fruit from the orchard and flowers and fresh vegetables from the garden.

1940-42: A few weeks ago, Bertha and I were deported to theTheresienstadt ghetto in Czechoslovakia. Leaving our family and most of our belongings behind was devastating. Living here is an even greater test of our strength. There are convoys leaving the ghetto all the time of people being deported "eastward"--the threat of deportation hangs over us daily. We live in squalid, poorly heated barracks. The food we brought from home has run out, and the rations we receive here are meager. How can a tall, heavy-set man like myself hope to survive?

Leo died in Theresienstadt in 1942 at the age of 67. In May 1944 his wife Bertha was deported to Auschwitz, where she perished.